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'They Wrote Angry Letters To Starlog'; Star Trek Fame Wil Wheaton On Receiving Long-Overdue Appreciation Post All The Criticism
Wil Wheaton reflects on Wesley Crusher's journey from a controversial character to a fan favorite, with Star Trek: Prodigy.
When Wil Wheaton first appeared as Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, many fans didn't accept the character. Now, however, Wesley is much more appreciated by the fanbase, and Wheaton is thrilled to see the character finally getting the recognition he deserves.
Wil Wheaton on facing harsh criticism for his role in Star Trek: The Next Generation
In an interview with Collider, Wheaton talked about voicing Wesley Crusher again in Season 2 of the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. He shared how great it feels to receive positive feedback from fans who enjoyed Wesley's role in the show.
Reflecting on the past, Wheaton remembered how tough it was during The Next Generation era when many fans were critical of his character. He mentioned to Collider, "It's 35 years overdue, when I was a kid, and I was 14, 15, 16 years old, my home life was terrible. I was really sad and abused and having a terrible time at home, and the only place I was happy and felt safe was at work."
Unfortunately, he faced harsh criticism from fans, including mean comments on Usenet and at conventions, which wouldn't be acceptable today. Wheaton recalled, "They wrote angry letters to Starlog, and they were really mean to me. They were cruel to this child at conventions and stuff in ways that would never fly today."
Wheaton noted in the interview with Collider that the idea that "nobody likes Wesley" is actually false. He pointed out that many kids who were drawn to Star Trek by Wesley's character loved him, but they weren't vocal about it at the time because they weren't active online or writing letters.
Now, years later, these fans have expressed how much Wesley inspired them, which Wheaton finds gratifying per the outlet. He wished he could have told his younger self that Wesley was more popular than he realized.
Wil Wheaton on achieving popularity for his character after decades
Now, years later, these fans have expressed how much Wesley inspired them, which Wheaton finds gratifying. He wished he could have told his younger self that Wesley was more popular than he realized.
Wheaton expressed relief and happiness for his younger self, saying that it took him 30 years to hear from fans who appreciated his work. He expressed, "I am so relieved and happy for my younger self. I wish I could just, like, pop through time real quick and just whisper in my ear, 'Buddy, I know how much it hurts right now, but I promise you there's a day coming where it's really okay. You're not even gonna remember this.'”
Star Trek: Prodigy is available for streaming on Netflix.
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